In the prior art, the holder for the star or planet wheels of an epicyclic gear train typically comprises two parallel flanges between which the star or planet wheels are journalled on shaft pins. In a planetary gear train, one of these flanges is torque-transmitting since it is connected for rotation with an output shaft; whereas, in a star gear train, the holder is fixedly anchored in the gear housing and torque is transmitted by the inner toothed ring gear of the gear train. In either case, the two flanges are rigidly connected by means of bars; but no matter how strong this connection is made a certain deformation of the planet wheel holder cannot be avoided. Such deformation results in a certain binding or clamping between on the one hand, the planet wheels and, on the other, the shaft pins, sun wheels and surrounding gear ring. In this connection, it should be noted that the various parts of the planet wheel holder cannot be increased in size without limit in order to minimize deformation since the dimensions of the planet wheel holder are constrained by the space available between the different wheels of the gear train.